3 Reasons Why You Binge Eat & How to Prevent it

Binge eating means eating an excessive amount of food faster than normal, even when you’re not hungry.

We all have the occasional rough day where you simply overeat but binge eating can develop into a serious disorder where you lose control of your eating.

The people suffering from this often feel guilt and shame at their actions and stress about their binge eating.

However, the stress and shame binge eating causes are a big part of why people continue to do it. Because while binge eating may be the most common eating disorder in America, the millions of people suffering often feel alone.

Luckily, this destructive cycle of guilt and self-disgust can be broken. But before we explore how to prevent binge eating, we have to first find out why you binge eat. 

Why You Binge Eat

1. Low self-esteem

Low self-esteem is a major contributor to a whole range of eating disorders. By doubting your own self-worth, you’re almost assuming that you don’t deserve to be treated well. 

There is this belief that you aren’t ‘strong enough’ to resist the temptation of binge eating so you may as well just give in. 

The best thing you can do to improve your self-esteem is surround yourself with supportive people who you can share your experience with. 

2. Stress, Anxiety or Depression

It’s common for someone with stress, anxiety or depression to use food to deal with the emotions they are feeling. After binge eating, people often feel guilty and disgusted by their overeating.

These emotions exacerbate stress, anxiety or depression and when all of these emotions become too much, they once again turn to food as an escape. 

This creates a destructive cycle of binge eating that can develop into a serious disorder.

3. Excessive Dieting

You might not think it but trying to portion out your meals and count your calories is often what sends people spiralling into binge eating. 

Their resolve continues to crack until one day it bursts and they go all out and massively overeat. However, what turns it into binge eating is the intense feelings of guilt and shame they feel later. 

So they decide to diet again, possibly even stricter than before. However, this only sends them down the same doomed path that ends in binge eating and even harsher dieting. 

Skipping meals or fasting yourself isn’t the solution. As with most health decisions, it’s about finding that balance of what works for you. 

How to Prevent Binge Eating

Whether you want to work this out at home or with a professional, it’s possible to overcome binge eating. 

Here are some of the best strategies to curb those hunger urges:

1. Ditch the Diet 

We’ve already explored just how unhealthy forcing yourself into a diet can be. So it’s probably time to ditch it altogether.

2. Avoid Skipping Meals

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day…and they’re right! This essential meal gives you the energy you need to last the day. Plus, by eating regularly, you’re less likely to binge later on. 

3. Clean out the Kitchen

Now, it’s easy to fall into the same traps as dieting with this one so instead of just removing everything unhealthy, try this instead.

Remove all the foods you find easy to binge (e.g. sweet pastries) but still leave yourself some small pleasures (like a bit of chocolate).

4. Sleep More

Reduced sleep increases the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin while lowering your levels of leptin, the hormone in charge of telling your body it's full.

Essentially, your body is tricked into thinking it’s far hungrier than it is. As if we needed any more reasons to get a good night's sleep!

5. Stay Hydrated 

Regular sips of water throughout the day may decrease hunger and calorie intake. 

Not only that but drinking water can boost your metabolism, meaning your body stores less food as fats.

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Binge eating is fueled by shame, guilt and disgust. All of the strategies mentioned so far are valuable but the most important thing you can do is forgive yourself.

Instead of swinging between intense dieting and binge eating, acknowledge the eating disorder you have (which is very common) and begin work on fixing it. 

Staying fit and active gives you the confidence to confront binge eating. OOMPH has some of the best (and quickest!) exercises to get you started!

Download the OOMPH app today!